ICELAND

About Iceland

• Iceland is a beautiful and unique island nation in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

• The Icelandic population is around 350,000, with approximately 2/3 of the population living in the greater Reykjavík area. Iceland is similar in size to Hungary or Kentucky.

• Icelanders are friendly and a welcoming nation, enormously proud of their country and eager to show it to visitors.

• Reykjavík has a vibrant culture scene, excellent shops, beautiful nature, and a music scene that rivals bigger cities.

• The spoken language is Icelandic and has changed very little since the settlement; however, English is widely spoken and understood.

• 99% of electricity in Iceland is produced using renewable energy sources, through hydropower plants and geothermal energy.

• Iceland is a country of extreme contrasts and dramatic landscapes.

• Widely known as "the land of fire and ice," Iceland is home to some of the largest glaciers in Europe and some of the world's most active volcanoes.

• Iceland has a much milder climate than could be expected from its name: the average temperature in Reykjavík is around 12.5°C (55°F) in August.

• Between September and April, Iceland is treated to the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights.​

Travel

• IcelandAir, EasyJet, Lufthansa, British Airways, American Airways and Finnair frequently fly between major airports in the USA, Canada and Europe. 

• You can travel by coach/bus to and from Keflavik Airport and the centre of Reykjavík in 45 minutes. This can be done privately or by regular coach transfer depending on budget. 

• All travellers must ensure that they have a valid passport (which does not expire for at least three months after departure) and all required visas.  

• Iceland is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) throughout the year, and does not adjust to daylight saving time.

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Hotels

• In Reykjavík, there are many hotels within walking distance of Reykjavík University. 

• Compared to other countries, most Icelandic hotels are small, though clean and comfortable and similar to many of those in continental Europe.

• Alternative services, such as AirBnb, are available in Iceland. 

• Please note that the Creativity Conference will take place during high tourist season, so we recommend you book sooner rather than later to secure the best prices and locations.

• Click here to see our Creativity Conference Reykjavík Hotel Recommendations

Restaurants

• In Reykjavík, there are myriad restaurants for you to discover during your visit. 

• Icelandic food is seafood heavy, and due to the need to import many ingredients, prices are typically higher than in the UK and USA.​

• Click here to see our complete Reykjavík Restaurant Guide

Practical Information

​Currency

• The national currency is the ISK (Icelandic Krona).

• All major currencies can be exchanged at the airport, banks and currency exchange bureaux.

• The major credit cards in Iceland are Visa and MasterCard, although other cards are widely accepted as well.

• In Iceland gratuity is always included in the bill, therefore tipping is not required. This applies to everything: restaurants, taxis, cafés, room service and more.

• Banks are usually open from 09:15 to 16:00. 

• Shops are usually open from 09:00 to 18:00 on weekdays.

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Public Transport

• Taxis operate 24 hours and accept all major credit cards and should to be reserved in advance. (Uber has not yet made it to Iceland).

• Vehicles drive on the right side of the road and overtake on the left in Iceland, and car headlights are switched on at all times.

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Miscellaneous

• Icelandic electrical standards are European (50Hz, 240 volts) so many North American electrical devices will require converters. Plugs are generally two-pinned, so devices brought in from the UK and North America will require adapters.

• The international code for calling Iceland is 354. To call internationally from Iceland, first dial 00 followed by the country code and telephone number.

• The age limit for buying alcohol is 20 years. Wine, beer and spirits are sold in government stores called “Vinbudin”. Smoking is not permitted in public buildings or other places open to the public. The age limit for buying tobacco is 18 years.

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COVID-19

The Creativity Conference cares about participant safety and will take the utmost care in complying with CDC and WHO protocols at the time of the conference. At this time, we are extremely confident that the in-person conference will be going ahead safely. However, we have shortened our full refund policy to just 3 months (with a small admin fee). This means you can safely buy a ticket today and cancel as late as the beginning of May if global conditions change.